Some of you may remember me posting part of this article last year. I wanted the opportunity to share again my ideas about practical gifts, and to link to the posts I wrote last year that offer ideas for giving practical gifts to everyone on your list. Plus, I thought some of you might enjoy reading about my grandma’s ear-plugs again.
Hello, my name is Laura and I’m a bundle of fun and a barrel of laughs. Being with me is a hoot. I’m one big party. I give the coolest gifts.
Just kidding. About all of it. Except that my name really is Laura.
I can be kinda fun and I like to host parties. I have barrels of wheat and bundles of brown rice, both of which I think are a hoot. Which leads me to the “coolest gift” statement. The fact that I think wheat and rice are so exciting may tell you something about the gifts I give. I will never win the “Coolest Gift Giver Prize”.
I’m not too much into giving junky or fru-fru gifts, and I don’t usually like to spend a lot – not because I’m stingy (hopefully), but just because I don’t see the importance of spending tons of money on gifts. Unless someone needs something.
I am a Practical Gift Giver.
Gifts for our boys usually include items of clothing they need, shoes, jammies and books. They get some toys too, but I’ve got to see the practicality in the toy before I’ll spend money or Swagbucks on it. (Like Legos. I can totally get into Legos.)
And games. I love games. Especially if they are games I can win.
Did I just say that out loud?
I think I come by my Practical Gift Giving honestly. One Christmas, my grandma gave all of the men in the family a pair of ear plugs. All of them. My dad, my brother, my uncles, my boy cousins…all of them. We were a family of farmers (and preachers…hmmm..) so ear plugs were a very practical gift. But we all got tickled, because everyone started putting them in and wearing them around during our big get-together. Every single male in our family looked ridiculous, but that’s okay. They couldn’t hear all of us females laughing and making fun of them.
Ah the memories.
Below are a series of posts I’ve written which will give you some ideas for practical gift giving. If you’re looking for some gift ideas, or are interested in what I consider to be ideal gifts, click around on the following links. Ear plugs not included.
- Gifts for Women
- Gifts of Books
- Gifts of Games
- Toys for Little Ones
- Stocking Stuffers for Kids (Yes, these can actually be practical)
- Stocking Stuffers for Moms (Yes, because Moms really can have a stuffed stocking)
- Gifts for Men
Are you a practical gift giver, or are you a barrel of laughs?
We do kind of a mix of practical, homemade, and fun…another stocking stuffer idea that is practical yet something the kids might like…rice socks. Take a sock and fill it with rice (and you can add essential oils or nice smelling herbs if you like) and tie a good knot in the end to close it up. My kids are getting these because (a) they keep asking for my heating “toys” that I use for my doula work, and (b) we have set the thermostat lower at night to save energy, and so I think going to bed with their own heated-up rice socks will be fun for them.
Depends on the person. But I do tend more towards the practical/consumable side of the spectrum. I don’t like having m house filled up with piles of crap, and don’t want to do the same for others.
(And while I know some folks detest Black Friday, I totally cop to buying deeply discounted Legos, board games, a ladder, a half-off dryer to match the new washer we got last year, and a two-burner camp stove at 1/3 off that morning – if that gives you an idea of our wacky household.)
The ear plugs are a scream! Last year my daughter and her husband gave everyone marshmallow guns for Christmas. Within minutes the air was FULL of flying marshmallows with our 1 and 2 year old grandsons running everywhere scooping up and eating the marshmallows. I found hard dried up marshmallows for months after that as they had gone everywhere! What a memory!
Speaking of gifts, today we are making those little peppernut cookies for our teachers. Super tasty!
I love practical gifts too, anything else just seems silly to me and it pains me to spend money on frivolous stuff. My baby will be getting a new changing table pad and some sippy cups for Christmas. I just can’t see spending money on toys for a 7 month old that doesn’t need any (her older brother’s baby toys are still in good condition for her). I also come by it honestly, for MY first Christmas my mom wrapped up my sister’s old baby toys to give to me!
Don’t tell, but I have a case of Larabars for our oldest son’s stocking ;-)
I’m glad you are re-posting these – I had to search last week and re-read them for inspiration in my stocking stuffer shopping!
Just found your blog, and I LOVE it! I try to give practical gifts that will get used. I don’t enjoy giving or getting clothing, though. It seems like no one ever likes what they give/get, or it just doesn’t fit. (Don’t get me started on my sweet Honey’s gift of a new bathrobe when I was pregnant with our third kid. The guy got me a size 3X robe–uhm, I’m not that big even when I’m very pregnant!)
I’m so sorry that I laughed out loud. How nice of him to try and accomodate your belly. :)
I too lean towards the practical. If someone has way more than enough gadgets/trinkets, why should I spend money buying another? Especially when there are so many true needs in the world!
I love practical gift giving, especially when it comes to our children. I am always looking for things that will be educational or provoke some imaginative play. I also believe we are called to be good stewards of all we’ve been blessed with. Shouldn’t that include the gifts we share with others?
I love to give (and to get) practical gifts! As the oldest of 8 (and now a Mama to one little girl) it can sometimes get challenging coming up with ideas though…especially for my 16& 18 yr old brothers. This year my 3 sisters will each get a book and a jar of homemade body scrub and my brothers a pint size jar full of homemade granola with a $10 gift card. (My budget for family gifts are about $12.00 per person.) I need to plan ahead earlier next year though and then I am sure I can make something for each person…